A really big day in Rome (and an unexpected book review)

It almost feels redundant to call it an historic event during a week when we touted yet another "historic" weather event and storm. Just don't know what else to call a move by the Pope that has not happened in more than six centuries...so a really big day in Rome it is. For me, it came upon waking up after I spent the night reading late...a novel with some real life issues. Sons of Cain by Val Bianco. The book, if you have not read it is an exciting novel about real life secret service type catholics who are charged with protecting the Catholic Church from an attack, both internal and external. I love that it is an exciting Randy Alcorn-type novel that allows us a peek at the supernatural fight that is going on around us, along with the real physical battle. Yes, the good guys win. There are casualties, though, it is nice to see that God will win in the end, and in fact, He already has. But also, He will win some of the skirmishes...sometimes directly helping. We don't always have that awareness.

So I know it is a novel, but some of the issues that were brought up could be pulled right off the new pages. An idealistic American president with an agenda...wanting to go down in the history books for passing legislation for the American Health Care System; all this despite common knowledge that the tax base cannot sustain the cost of universal health care. The president and administration pushing an agenda that will have to incorporate increased use of and acceptance of state/doctor assisted suicide...at the end of life and whenever else it would be convenient. We can only afford universal health care if we don't waste too much of it on old people and chronic illness for undeserving individuals. And really, who is deserving. All touted as a Good; thinking people will want to take charge of their own end and will want to protect their wealth for their children. The book also explores how life-time politicians--politicians who make a business of well, politics, and hand it down to their children, raised in the life style and with the same leanings and mindset--keep the country mired in the same direction. It also examines a system of government where the people who toil in it can legislate lucrative job opportunities and then fill the positions (the book examines Senators with medical experience working themselves into high paying jobs in its administration--much like in real life, the officials who develop vaccines and then take government jobs to mandate them for all children thus increasing their wealth, regardless of consequences.) It explores, briefly, the tendency of the country to accept a new value and then once it becomes mainstream, open the door to similar horrors that don't seem so horrific anymore. Having lived through 40 years of Roe v. Wade, it is easy to see how this can happen, and the book refers to Abortion style of acceptance opening the door to the euthanasia. There is a model, and why not use it for everything. Finally, it is nice to see, albeit in a novel, the clear influence of Evil in what can be seen as current issues. Yes people, there is Evil and there is an orchestrator of it. Evil, personified in the Devil. He lives and He has an agenda. He may even use a president, or other influential people to forward his agenda...

So with this fictional book forefront in my mind, it was with fear that I woke up to the news that our beloved Pope Benedict was resigning for health reasons. Raised with enough knowledge of Fatima and its predictions, any new Pope is looked at with anxious eyes. With an Historic resignation, I read with much anxiety, not so much about what will we address a retired pope as...Cardinal Ratzinger? Is it legal for him to do this? From who does he get permission and who has to accept his letter of resignation? as I did the blog posts and articles about why he decided to resign. His health. His inability, in his assessment, to handle the rigors of the job during this time and with the, sigh, historic decisions he must make. I accept that, and with millions of other catholics, I will be praying that the Lord has raised up a strong, young man of God to carry on the office of Peter. Who will keep us Catholic. Who will promote love and dignity in our lives and interactions in a world that seems to want to equate "right" with whatever feels "right" right now...that looks at a long time not as 40 years but as 2000. I want a Pope who can determine the will of God and have the strength to keep us on His path and not just swing us more to the middle, as the Times would have us go. And I would offer one last prayer...a prayer that was typed out in Bianco's book at least twice,

St. Michael fine art print can be found at www.aquinasandmore.com catholic goods

"St. Michael the Archangel, Defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell, Satan, and all other evil spirits who prowl about the earth seeking the ruin of souls...amen"

Having trouble relaxing...I heard smoking helps!!

It's Spring Break, but I am convinced that is an oxymoron. I get that it is Spring, but it is still so cold. As for break, the kids will be more tired than usual...and me? It ain't no break! Rather than listen to, "what are we going to do now?" we have had one activity after an other. Six Flags, Ft. Worth Zoo, swimming at Keller Pointe, and lots and lots of games on the soccer field/backyard...It has been a frenzy of activity and I am going to have to put them to bed tonight early so they can start getting ready for school on Monday. Actually, I am lying. The weather has been great...a little cloudy, but we really need any rain we can get. But its warm. I have been feeling poorly, but while my meds do their work, Shawn has taken a weeks vacation to help me with my work. As I sit here typing with my coffee I am feeling pretty satisfied about having put some clothes away and reloading the dishwasher. That would be the truth. But didn't my carrying on about how hard it is to be sick and trying to take care of 11 children make a much better story...I mean, who is going to cheer if we say that the house is respectable, laundry caught up, and the family is going to hang out at Six Flags today. That isn't how it is supposed to be with a family with 11 children.


riders at six flags over tx

The whole truth isn't something that we look for or even want to hear. How often when we ask an acquaintance "hey, how are you doing?" do we not even slow down for an answer? And we are often granted our wish. Most people get their information from the news. I think that we may have some grand idea that the news media takes an oath of sorts and there is purchase in illuminating the masses. There isn't! In fact, a newspaper who puts all of its money in spreading the truth will usually find itself in financial difficulties while papers who spread gossip and lies will fly off the market shelf or receive more clicks on the Internet. Maybe the truth really does hurt.

In the past week, we have heard from a woman at a congressional hearing who claims to be a poor student who is in fact an advocate of the abortion industry. This excellent article is one of many that exposes Miss Flukes lies and hints at her true agenda. Wikipedia kindly cites her as reporting at an "unofficial congressional hearing" while other bloggers have written that it was an interview made to appear like an official hearing. She promoted her own agenda citing only anecdotal evidence...for example, a friend who needs to have birth control pills to cure her poly cystic ovary syndrome.  However, the best treatment for women with this syndrome are dietary changes geared toward weight loss, higher fiber, and exercise. Not a pill that is labeled as a Group 1 carcinogen. Feds "massively" studied this fact before "recently" calling out the fact that estrogen (the Pill) could be harming women. This was reported by several talk-show hosts at EWTN, and WHO has claimed the pill could be harmful since 2005; actually has it on the list as a Group 1 carcinogen for 2012. Why would anyone who claims to be "For Women" not look for non-carcinogenic options prior to advising a pill, or worse, writing a prescription for it. Fluke helped Obama make his mandate palatable to a huge group of women, but ultimately it, like hormonal birth control and abortion, hurt women. Maybe his agenda isn't ultimately health care?


I got into an, um, heated discussion on some site yesterday. Texans are really struggling right now. As many of you probably know, Governor Perry chose not to continue funding Planned Parenthood here in TX. TX PP has been under investigation for criminal activity, medicaid fraud, and other activities that are supposed to be frowned upon. President Obama said he would discourage any state who limited PP health care initiatives by making said state ineligible for federal health care money. In the heated discussion, participants began talking about a "news" article about a young woman who had many health issue that prohibited her from trying to get pregnant. It also told a sad story about how Gov. Perry's prejudice makes it impossible for her to get to the clinic where she can get her depo provera shot. She wound up in the hospital with incredibly high blood pressure and pregnant with a baby that likely has birth deformities from her lack of medical care and the drugs she was taking. Um, really...first of all, if I was so sick that my life would be in jeopardy, I would abstain...really. And I am sure that my husband would agree. NO ONE has ever died from lack of sex...but many have from imprudent sex. That said, I would investigate free and safe methods of preventing conception. That counsel would seem to be very pro-woman. I think that the Catholic Church has it right, but we don't always want to hear the truth.

Are we are so stuck on a woman's right to have sex when she wants it regardless of the cost--even if it costs her whole life. Are we so willing to climb aboard Barack Obama's Freedom Train Mandate...even at the risk of losing true freedom. Know the whole truth before you commit.

Bishop Van and the big tushie...er, fish

I find mass very relaxing...in fact, I try to go every day. Last week I had a great day at Mass. The priest was discussing Jonah and great fish...didn't you always think it was a whale...who knew. Jonah and the really big fish. Anyway, when I started teaching kindergarten CCD back when Matt was a tot, I learned what ADHD was, big time. I think each of my children with one exception had it. When we blew through all of my planned activities in record time, I pulled out a children's bible. We started with Jonah...I mean who could not like that story. They were rapt...they took in every word. They laughed when they realized Jonah was going to hide from God; he didn't know God was like a mommy...we had such fun. And when Jonah was spit out of the whale, well, I was definitely the best story teller. I still have kids making the sound of Jonah being spit out of the whale--phfut!!  When I still had roughly half the class left, we decided to play a game...Jonah, Jonah, Whale, was born. We still play it to this day...
What the children loved, as do I, is the way that Jonah tries to hide from God. No matter what he did, God took him, via Whales mouth, right to where he was supposed to be. He did it for Jonah, who was afraid to do what he needed to do. But he did it for the people as well...so they didn't need to be smote. Great story, great lesson, good times. We could learn alot from Jonah. Also from the people, though I believe they actually had to be smote. We don't easily learn our lessons...we keep repeating, like the people of Nineveh did. As soon as they learned their lesson, they saw that our Loving Father forgived and so they kept sinning until, Smote. I actually met someone yesterday who uses smote in regular conversation. She came to my house looking for her grandson. She talked to me quite a bit. I suspect she was trying to save me from the fascist Catholic Church. She obviously didn't know who she was talking to and since I am acquainted with her grandson, I decided to keep talking. Then when she said "smote" out loud in regular conversation, well, I was just pleased to hear it! I told her...I suspect she thinks I am crazy. I had to laugh. I talk to people daily online about religion. The only people I have to talk to about religion in real life are my kids...I suspect they think I am crazy as well. As I sat in church, I was wondering why can't we all just get a long. Why is it so hard. Jesus came 2000 years ago and said, right out, this is my catholic church. This is the head of my church. He clearly wanted us to remain one, catholic and apostolic church. Don't people who broke away realize that it is only our disobedience...our sin nature. Our unwillingness to follow direction. Why can't we just all pull together to take care of this Obama situation. Even Catholics are split...evidently there are Catholics who believe in a feminist agenda. I was reading National Catholic Reporter and was shocked to hear some of the opinions...I may have to split my time between there and Yahoo!!

I have been thinking quite a bit about obedience. I love the children going to school. I get sooooo tired. But with the things going on in our public school system and with the things going on in health care, I suspect soon I will be very dissatisfied with it. I have prayed a lot about homeschooling...probably because if I am not sure that is what He wants me to do, then I can just say "i wasn't sure." I suspect that is just MY sin nature rearing its ugly head. As I was starting to go up for communion after hearing about Jonah, I saw a woman with her two daughters. It was the first Friday of the month and we get a lot of homeschoolers on First Friday's. These particular women were wearing a lace head covering...even the girls. The youngest girl was wearing an old formal dress over another longer one. Very unattractive. That is the problem with homeschooling. There is a portion of catholic homeschoolers that just take things to the extreme...its so judgemental and unwelcoming. Maybe I should just keep the kids in school.

Well swallow me whole and spit me our, Phfut...

Father, protect me from my sin nature...Help me to see that there are people everywhere, like me and unlike me...all who love you or don't know You as You are. Perhaps they have only seen the ugly in us. Allow me to show only love and tolerance when articulating Your words. Help us to be one Church united in your love...

The best thing about Jesus' church...and our Heavenly Father, is his forgiving and merciful nature...


Bishop Van...I think he is still laughing. Long time since he has been called My Tushie...

We had a service with the kids who will be joining the church this Easter...Bishop Van was in attendance so I was trying to make the kids understand how important he is and how to be respectful. I told the baby girls they should say, "Good Afternoon, Your Excellency." and to curtsy...Nicolette tried, God love her, but somehow that sort of morphed into an awkward bow and a "Your Welcome, My Tushie..." Sigh...thank Goodness for confession...